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Supporting Gay Life In Worcester9036Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority accused of gay prejudice
Kenneth Neil was the victim of a vicious and unprovoked homophobic attack
Kenneth Neil was the victim of a vicious and unprovoked homophobic attack
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The body which awards compensation to victims of violent crime rejected a claim from a gay man because of his sexuality, it has been claimed.

Kenneth Neil, from Glasgow, was the victim of a vicious and unprovoked homophobic attack in his home in 2004.

The 38-year-old, who said he thought he was going to die during his ordeal, has decided to speak out after the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) rejected his claim.

In August 2004, while living in Ayr, he was returning from a night out when he stopped to assist a disabled man.

Another man offered his assistance.

"We got the disabled man home and were near my flat when this man asked, 'Have you got any coffee in there?' I thought it was not too much to ask considering the assistance he had given." Mr Neil told The Scotsman.

"When I was in the kitchen he picked up a bottle of wine. The next thing I knew he had smashed it and I was being battered senseless.

"I put up my hand to protect myself and it caught me between my thumb and my first finger. My thumb and artery were hanging off and I was terrified he was going to kill me.

"He was shouting at me: 'You f****** poof, you f****** gay bastard; if I'd known you were gay I'd never have walked you home."

While full of praise for the response and attitude of the police, Mr Neil was shocked when CICA rejected his claim for compensation.

"They wrote that 'despite having walked home with the suspect and allowed him into your house' I was unable to identify my attacker," he told the paper.

"That implies I asked for it, something they would not dare say to a woman. As a matter of fact I identified him from the first lot of mugshots the police brought to my home.

"They also said there was no corroboration to the attack. How many people invite witnesses into their homes just so they can claim compensation later?

"Yet they admit that my attacker's DNA was matched to the bottle he attacked me with. It is completely nonsensical."

In January a report commissioned by Lothian and Borders Police found that 15% of gay men in Edinburgh have been attacked in the last year.

One in four of the 150 men questioned said they had been the victim of homophobic violence in the last five years.

7% of lesbians questioned said they had been assaulted physically or sexually in the previous 12 months.

MSPs, police chiefs, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and gay rights activists welcomed the announcement earlier this year that the government in Scotland will support an extension of the country's hate crimes legislation to protect LGBT people and the disabled.

The Sentencing of Offences Aggravated by Prejudice (Scotland) Bill was proposed by Patrick Harvie, a Scottish Green MSP.

"I am very surprised if the idea that some prior relationship is used as an excuse to deny someone compensation. This would not be a defence in law.

"Disabled people and sexual minorities deserve no less protection from prejudice and bigotry. The latest social attitudes survey show that these attacks are still very high."

CICA said in a statement: "An applicant's sexuality plays absolutely no part in our decision making process. CICA decides each application for compensation under the rules of the 2001 Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as laid down by Parliament."

And he explains on what basis a judgment for compensation is made: "We base our decision on two key pieces of information: evidence of the attack from the police and medical evidence to assess the extent of an applicant's injuries. In each case we assess whether there is enough evidence to show that, on the balance of probabilities, a crime of violence took place."

Mr Neil is not satisfied and has pledged to fight CICA all the way to the House of Lords.

His bravery in speaking publicly about his experiences has drawn attention to the unreported violence many LGBT people suffer.

"Gay people keep quiet about violence because we don't want family and workmates to know about our private lives," he told The Scotsman.

"It has taken a lot for me to go public about my sexuality. I feel I have been met with cynicism by the CICA, who have made a value judgment I deserved what happened to me."

For more information on CICA visit their website.]]>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7619.html
7E29B1D1-9761-47C6-BDF2-40A8930594E2Tue, 13 May 2008 14:40:56 +0100Fight To Allow Gay Blood Donors
The LGBT Network said safe sex practices meant men who have had sex with other men could give blood.

The group stressed that there were no restrictions on heterosexual people who have unprotected sex giving blood.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service said it had a duty to make sure patients got the safest blood possible.

A spokesman for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Network said: "The blanket ban on gay and bisexual men giving blood is an outdated policy that was put in place decades ago when people believed Aids was an exclusively gay disease. We now know that this is far from the case.

A requirement of UK law is to avoid collecting donations if there is evidence that the risk of blood-transmissible infections may be raised
Dr Brian McClelland
SNBTS

"There is no clinical reason for the blanket ban on gay and bisexual men giving blood.

"It is a policy from a bygone era, which unfairly discriminates.

"The SNBTS should instead focus on all donors' unsafe sexual practices, rather than single out gay and bisexual men."

But Dr Brian McClelland, from the Scottish blood service, said: "Even the highly sensitive tests for hepatitis and HIV that are performed on every donation cannot completely exclude all risk of infection, so an essential first step - and a requirement of UK law - is to avoid collecting donations if there is evidence that the risk of blood-transmissible infections may be raised.

"The Blood Services of the UK, like those in most European countries, USA and Canada, do not accept donations from men who report that they have had sex with another man.

"Over 60% of all the HIV diagnoses where the infection was likely to have been acquired in the UK were in gay men.

"Other infections that are sexually transmitted and also transmitted by blood, such as hepatitis B and syphilis, are also increasing among men who have sex with men. Syphilis increased 117% from 2002 to 2006."

Dr McClelland said research continued to show that removing the current bar on donations by men who have sex with men would lead to an increase in the very small risk of HIV transmission due to infections in the very early stage that may be impossible to detect.

He added that donor selection rules were kept under regular review by the UK national advisory committee and any anticipated developments in testing and processing would be taken into account in these reviews.

The issues are to be examined by the Scottish Parliament's petition committee on Tuesday.]]>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7347108.stm
3BEEF61C-9270-4125-89BC-45265FBEE313Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:10:34 +0100Cardiff May Get Pride This Year
A meeting will be held this week to discuss Cardiff's first ever Cardiff Pride event.

It is hoped the new event will replace the Cardiff Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which has been cancelled this year.

A lack of community and financial support is being blamed for the cancellation of Wales' largest Pride event.

Despite the huge success of Mardi Gras in recent years, "high demands placed on committee members have made it difficult to retain volunteers and attract new ones," the committee said in a statement.

Last year the event was hosted by Charlotte Church attracted crowds of over 40,000.

Local bars and clubs, gay businesses, organisations and members of the LGBT community at large are invited to attend a public meeting in Cardiff City Hall this week to discuss the 'Cardiff Pride' event.

A spokesperson for the management team said,

"The aim of the meeting is to give the gay community across South Wales a chance to hear the plans for this year's event and to give as many people as possible an opportunity to have an input into shaping the day.

"We want as many people from across South Wales and the entire UK to see what a fine diverse modern city Cardiff has become.

"This is backed by an ever-growing range of stylish gay bars, clubs and a sauna.

"With rumours of other new gay venues possibly opening in the city this year there is much to offer local gay people and visitors," the spokesperson added.

"In addition to the main event which will take place at Coopers Field in the grounds behind Cardiff Castle, the nearby city centre gay bars and clubs will greatly enhance the weekend with parties long into the night and on the Sunday."

It is hoped that the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will resume in 2009.

Further information about this year's event will appear soon on www.pridecardiff.org

Terrence Higgins Trust said research had found that men had questions about specific sex scenes but didn't know where to get reliable information.

Called Hardcell, it combines facts about sexual health and recreational drug use with information about sex acts and rough sex.

The site has a section dedicated to sexually transmitted infections including causes, symptoms, treatments and prevention.

It also has a section on recreational drugs giving clear information on the effects and risks of drugs from GHB to Viagra and covers issues such as sex ‘addiction’, sexual dysfunction and personal safety.

The sections are called Playroom, Lab, Clinic, Bunker and Power Room.

"The website provides up-front information right through from bondage and branding to watersports," said Will Nutland, Strategic Lead for Health Promotion and Health Improvement at THT.

"The site not only focuses on the pleasures of hard sex - it looks at the risks of mixing different types of drugs during sex, avoiding trouble during harder sex, and gives information on where the law currently stands on S&M sex."

The site, www.hardcell.org.uk, is for people over the age of 18 and it not safe for work]]>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7346.html
D925BB9C-647B-4E55-8035-4EB4CDC5FF77Wed, 9 Apr 2008 14:25:43 +0100Gay Rights Church Bans Weddings
Newington Green Unitarian Church will only conduct a ceremonial blessing for both heterosexual and gay couples who have legally wed in a civil ceremony.

The church's minister, Andrew Pakula, said the church's committee voted unanimously in favour of the decision.

The church in Islington suspended full wedding ceremonies from 30 March.

It said it would continue to bar full weddings until the law is amended.

We are standing on the side of love here and that is our stance
Andrew Pakula

Mr Pakula said: "When we realised the extent of the injustice in the existing civil partnership law which completely prohibits any connection between religion and civil partnerships, we decided it just wasn't something we could take part in.
"We have at this point continued to do blessings and civil partnership blessings so anyone who has done the legal business in the town hall can come to us and do a gorgeous religious celebration."
The church's decision comes after the Unitarians' national conference called for the Civil Partnership Act to be changed to allow religious content in civil partnership registrations.
Mr Pakula added: "Historically churches have been major perpetrators of injustice for gay and lesbian people and as a church that welcomes people of all sexual orientation, as both members and clergy, we feel it is our duty to stand up on the other side.
"We are standing on the side of love here and that is our stance."]]>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7336187.stm
832FA0F6-84BF-453D-970A-4E55104900ECTue, 8 Apr 2008 12:42:18 +0100CS Gas Terror Thug Jailed
The pellets were for military use and disappeared from an army truck, said Raj Punia, prosecuting. Their noxious vapour caused stinging eyes, coughing and breathing difficulties, Worcester Crown Court heard. The fumes affected the pub for 20 minutes and the shop sounded the fire alarm to get customers out quickly.
Hinton, aged 38, of Woodman's Close, Droitwich, pleaded guilty to two charges of administering a poisonous substance.
Jailing him for six months, Judge Alistair McCreath said the attacks left customers in a distressed state. Hinton, who was living in a hostel at the time, had identified the pub to police as one which was used by gay men.
The judge said that was part of his motivation for choosing it above all the other bars in Lowesmoor.
He had "no idea" why Hinton had not also been charged with theft from the army base and with having a prohibited firearm.

Fork-lift truck driver Hinton was drunk when he struck at 7pm on Tuesday, May 15, last year.
Customers became aware of fumes by the front door of the pub.

They saw a man fiddling with something near a drain grating.Fumes poured up from a cellar before an evacuation began.
Philip Harris, a member of staff at Wickes, saw smoke coming from shelving and his eyes began burning, said Miss Punia A woman customer began suffering the effects of smoke before the shop was also evacuated.
Firefighters were forced to don breathing apparatus to deal with the shop drama and discovered a gas pellet left inside the building.
Hinton had a long criminal record from the age of 17, which included eight crimes of violence, robbery, possession of a weapon, racially aggravated assault and sending offensive phone communications.
Defence counsel John Brotherton said: "This was childish offending and not the sort of behaviour you expect from a grown man.
"There might have been psychological damage to the victims, but fortunately there was no lasting physical damage."
Mr Brotherton said four youths were also investigated by police after the frightening incidents but no charges brought.

** Gay Worcester**
Hate crime is a serious issue, if anyone feels they are the victim of hate crime. they can report it using the following:

Always dial 999 in an emergency]]>
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232739C1-0C2E-4687-89CD-BFBF2030680FSat, 29 Mar 2008 14:03:56 +0000Homophobia claims rejected by police complaints body
Sixteen allegations of homophobia made against the eight Devon and Cornwall police officers have been rejected by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
The complaints were made in 2004 and 2005 by Malcolm Lidbury, a local LGBT activist.
He claimed he was "treated poorly" because of his sexuality and claimed that the Devon and Cornwall police have an "inherently homophobic" attitude.
Nineteen witnesses gave evidence to IPCC investigators about a range of incidents.
Several said they felt the police did not take gay domestic violence seriously.
Others said crimes go unreported because gay people have a lack of trust in the police.
The force diversity inspector admitted that Devon and Cornwall police has dealt "poorly" with the gay community, and that the Cornwall basic command unit's diversity unit was understaffed, leading it to be "reactive rather than proactive."
"No evidence of homophobic motivation behind any police action has been uncovered," said IPCC Commissioner Ian Bynoe.
"Further investigation uncovered no evidence of homophobic treatment experienced by any witnesses and additional enquiries were deemed neither proportionate nor within the remit of the investigation.
"It is noticeable however that the allegations of homophobia have been met with confusion by some officers.
"The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary LGBT policy states that an incident need only be perceived to be motivated by homophobia to be investigated as such.
"Mr Lidbury had clearly stated that he believed that the officers' actions were so motivated.
"However, there appeared to be a lack of understanding of this concept on the part of some officers, who initially showed reluctance to answer the allegation of homophobia, believing that they did not have to do so if there was no supporting evidence."
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall police said:
"The constabulary has a strong commitment to ensuring our services are accessible to all sections of the community, and recognises that we need to listen to the concerns of members of our lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender communities."
Nine recommendations arose from the investigation, concerning the efficient finalisation of cases, the importance of accurate recording of information on incident logs and the correct procedure to be followed when serving a summons.]]>
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7246.html
947E9E9B-FEF2-4120-BA00-49E4CE6FB80CFri, 28 Mar 2008 16:48:44 +0000Magazines 'harm male body image'
While magazines aimed at men often include pictures of scantily-clad women, Dr David Giles said images of male bodies may be more dangerous.

His work, in Personality and Individual Differences, found regular readers were more likely to exercise to excess.

Another specialist said the problem affected men as much as women.

Men and women increasingly get their ideas of what they should look like from the imagery they see in the media
Dr David Giles
University of Winchester

"Lads" Magazines have been increasingly successful in recent years, and have attracted criticism for an alleged potential to exploit women rather than cause problems for their readership.

However, Dr Giles, from the University of Winchester, said that some of the content may drive men to try to become more muscular, even if that could harm their health.

Together with colleague Jessica Close, he surveyed 161 men aged between 18 and 36, and found that those who regularly read the magazines were more likely to be influenced by the imagery within.

More worryingly, they said they were also more likely to consider using anabolic steroids to improve their appearance.

Dr Giles said: "The message in typical lads' magazines is that you need to develop a muscular physique in order to attract a quality mate.

"Readers internalise this message, which creates anxieties about their actual bodies and leads to increasingly desperate attempts to modify them."

'Trapped into obsession'

Some specialists have dubbed this condition "athletica nervosa", though a more frequently used term is body dysmorphic disorder.

Dr Giles said: "Men and women increasingly get their ideas of what they should look like from the imagery they see in the media.

"The volume of content is growing and it is trapping young people in particular, into unhealthy obsessions about their own bodies."

The research found that men who were single were far less likely to have body image problems than those in a relationship.

Professor Naomi Fineberg, a consultant psychiatrist who runs a treatment service for people with obsessive compulsive disorder, said that men and women suffered equally from body dysmorphic disorder.

"Among men, there are those who focus on their muscularity - they may not be seeking aesthetic perfection, but instead some kind of regularity, or symmetry, and they become preoccupied with achieving it.

"We can't say for sure whether these magazines might be causing it, but it's very persuasive that cultural factors are important."]]>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7318411.stm
686A1BF0-E48E-44FB-95BC-DBA8DC973D6AFri, 28 Mar 2008 13:18:43 +0000Gay Men Risk Of HIV 'still high'
The Health Protection Agency made the warning after new diagnoses among gay men topped 2,600 for the third year.

But the figures do seem to have begun to plateau after a surge at the turn of the century.

Overall, the number of new cases hit an estimated 6,840 in 2007 - a fall of 1,400 from the previous year.

Gay men continue to be the group most at risk of acquiring HIV within the UK
Dr Valerie Delpech

The HPA said this was mostly due to a decline in cases among those infected heterosexuality in Africa.

But experts said the new cases among gay men was still at worrying levels.

There were 2,630 diagnoses - a slight fall on previous years, but much higher than the annual figures in the 1990s which tended to hover around 1,500.

HPA head of HIV surveillance Dr Valerie Delpech said: "Gay men continue to be the group most at risk of acquiring HIV within the UK.

"We need to reinforce the safe sex message for gay men that the best way to protect yourself from contracting HIV is practising safe sex by using a condom with all new and casual partners."

She also urged more regular testing so treatment could be started earlier and to reduce the risk of transmission to partners.

The figures are only provisional as they also take into account the expected delays in diagnosis.

The Department of Health has announced a review of national HIV prevention programmes.

Genevieve Clark, of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said it was "good news" that the figures for gay men seemed to be levelling off.

But she warned the number of cases was still too high and called for easier access to testing as some places had long waits for access to sexual health clinics.

Deborah Jack, of the National AIDS Trust, said: "It is a concern that HIV diagnoses are still increasing among gay men and heterosexuals infected in the UK.

"HIV is often not picked up early enough by health professionals and late diagnoses increase the likelihood of HIV being passed on, as well as greatly reducing the health prospects of people living with HIV."]]>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7318346.stm
5BC3CA7D-2E73-4B43-AFB3-E35D0C940231Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:01:24 +0000Gay Worcester Mobile ChatEasy to use mobile chat direct from your mobile phone or PDA<br />
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FF1D762D-8082-4997-AC1C-9C9B145C42DCThu, 27 Mar 2008 19:43:05 +0000Study Finds Mini-Epidemics Of HIV
Data collected from more than 2,000 infected men showed there were distinct clusters or "bursts" of the disease.

Researchers now believe targeted local campaigns in bars and nightclubs could be the most effective way of curbing the spread of HIV by sexual contact.

The Edinburgh University study was carried out with Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, using data collected between 1997 and 2003.>br>
It found many men who became infected with the virus passed it on within a few months, often before they themselves had been diagnosed as HIV positive.

'Drug-resistant'
Prof Andrew Leigh Brown, of Edinburgh University's school of biological sciences, said: "By studying changes in the virus over time, we have been able to pinpoint its progress in stages through the groups of men affected, which until now has not been done effectively.

"What we have discovered is that some of the spread occurred in bursts, with groups of people becoming infected within a short period of time."

Prof Leigh Brown said such a pattern had been seen occasionally among HIV-infected drug users but had not been identified in sexual transmission until now.

"The tightness of clusters that we have found is frightening. The results raise concerns that a drug-resistant version of the virus could spread quickly, causing a mini-epidemic which is hard to treat."

The findings indicate that the safe sex message was not having a significant impact according to researchers.

The study is suggesting that specific bars and nightclubs could be targeted to get the message across.